Facts of Other Lives
by Shinra-ex-SOLDIER
Summary: "Because the only absolute things in life were facts. And they're only ever absolute in the universe in which they're true." A multi-chapter fic that will be set in different AUs. Focus will be on the friendship between Kirigiri and Naegi even through different universes. Chapter 3: PROVING SOMETHING: "How do you measure something like luck?"
1. Not Much Skin

**Not Much Skin**

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"Naegi's hands were ugly… because I made them like that." Set post-game in a universe where they're fighting against despair. Written in Kirigiri's POV.

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_It was a small price to pay for survival. So then why do I feel like it cost more?_

We were trapped in a collapsing building. There wasn't a statement that would more accurately describe our predicament. In mere minutes, the building was falling into ruins. However, this was not the time nor the place to panic. At the moment, I cannot pinpoint the source but I can only assume that our coordinates were leaked. Despair was now claiming us. More and more of its heretics were barging in and were imprinting on everything whatever meaning of despair each had. They were thorough for a chaotic amalgam of people. And it was quite unfortunate that I thought of this but I could only believe in facts.

_All I could see were humans but no humanity._

But it was also for this fact that I knew that I just had to do it.

"I'll handle the data." I calmly announced and I broke into a run shortly after.

Footsteps followed me, looking back, it was my partner running out of breath. I expected no less from him to pursue me. "No way! That's too dangerous!"

"My life is not worth more than the lives of humanity." I simply stated.

He sighed or at least did something akin to one can possibly do while running. "I can't talk you out of this, right?"

"I'm certain that it would prove fruitless." I answered.

"Alright." He said more to himself than to me, then he quickly matched my pace of running just so we could make eye contact. "Up until now, Kirigiri has always made the right decisions. Because unlike you, I don't really think things through. I've made up my mind too. I'm coming with you."

"That's not necessary. I can take care of myself." I was not weak nor am I the type who needed protection.

"But I want to. That's because we're friends." He grinned. "Friends stay by each other's sides."

He reached out his hand toward me. And I did what any other person would do.

I gave him a high five.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_There was only the two of us in the room._

Thankfully, we were able to detect the intruders early so the top floors were still unaffected. We were fast and lucky enough to reach the Data Room without any conflicts. It would seem that everyone else in the floors we've passed through have already evacuated. It may be better this way since we could lessen the number of casualties.

Our goal was to save all the data in an encrypted storage device and erase all of its traces in the database. Only two persons know how to handle the data system and one person just so happened to be out on the job. I, being the other person, had taken this role while Naegi was to back me up. It would only take ten minutes. Ten grueling minutes _too long_. And while I was not the SHSL Programmer of our batch, I have tediously memorized all the necessary commands and contingency plans in regards to our computer network. For the whole duration, I would do continuous precise coding. I could only place my faith in Naegi that he could protect the both of us the whole time.

_I should have known that I was asking too much._

With the override key inserted, I immediately went to work. Naegi had electronically locked the doors and jammed them with objects as well. He quickly went to working on a barricade and collecting whatever he could use for defending.

We expected the despair to come barging in on us any minute now but the last thing we expected was them ignoring the doors.

And come from the walls.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Being robbed of sight was a blessing and a curse._

All of my concentration was channeled into encoding so I zoned out of the battlefield. There were the occasional shouts and grunts which were sometimes Naegi's and sometimes someone else's. Explosions were far off and I could only assume that they were grenades tossed back to them. Particles of dust were scattered everywhere. Wood snapped and splinters flew all over. Metal clanged as they miss their targets. And when they did not miss, the sounds were honestly unpleasant.

Any blunt object struck upon the human body sounded awful with a thud. Even more displeasing was the sound of bones breaking. There were the other types of objects which came into contact with skin like those that cut and slice. And then there were the finer things in life such as shrapnel embedding themselves into bodies. It was not humanly possible to hear all of that while encoding but the aftermath was crisp and clear. The screams muffled by masks were evidences enough. They all sounded the same. Pain.

Everyone in our organization was trained for this. Even Naegi. So a portion of my mind is at ease while he was out there. And while some of us were better than others, we could only be assigned to a branch and participate in actual operations when deemed prepared enough. Fighting skills were one of the basics: both defensive and offensive. But there were things in life that the human body could never champion over.

Things such as guns which were being fired in the room.

Even so, I carried on with my task undisturbed. Some may find it impossible to not feel threatened in this situation but that was not the case for me. I would not go so far as to say that I was at peace but it was the closest feeling to it given the situation. In truth, I was very much afraid. But fear would only hinder me and Naegi's efforts would have been all in vain. Fear was not an option.

_Despair was not an option._

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_Getting too comfortable led to my downfall._

Nine minutes into the job and the noises died down half a minute ago. It was going more smoothly than expected but this was based on the assumption that Naegi was holding well on his own. That was a grave mistake. If only I had been the slightest bit considerate of him then I should have dodged the moment that I recognized something of a metallic yellow bat coming right at me at a great speed.

Naegi took the hit for me.

No, it would be more accurate to say that he rushed in alarmed by my assailant and narrowly caught the attack with his two hands. Droplets sprayed over my face. I had recklessly assumed it was blood.

_It would have been better if it really was his blood._

There was just something odd about the masked assailant. Maybe it was the way he was overpowering Naegi with just _one hand _holding the bat. Or was it the way that the bat glistened under the room's lights? _Glistened?_

Upon further examination, I noticed that the bat was _wet_. It was covered with a thin colorless sheen.

But that was not entirely correct. The liquid languidly dripped only to reveal a horrendous fact of life.

The bat was metallic _silver._

There were only a number of translucent yellow liquids that it could possibly have been. And the assailant's other hand was still suspiciously out of my field of vision. Out of the corner of my eyes, something glistened aside from the bat. A shout was about to escape my lips but it never did.

_Naegi's scream had beat me to it._

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_It was the most frightening sound I've heard._

Light travels faster than sound but even having seen the bat burst and his hands into flames had not prepared me for the spine-chilling scream that ripped through his throat.

For a moment, I froze.

_In the next, I abandoned my duty and went to assist him. Sliding, I kicked the assailant and knocked him off his feet. The bat flung to underneath a desk. I took it and gave him back what was his._

_Again. Again and again._

_To his torso. To his limbs. To his face. _

_To his hands._

_Again. Again and again._

A part of me wanted that to have happened.

It never did. For a moment, I froze. In the next, I continued where I left off.

Naegi's life was not worth more than the lives of humanity.

_And yet, my eyes would still sometimes wander offscreen._

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"It's done. Let's go." I instinctively tried to grab his hand but thought otherwise.

I don't think he heard me either. He was panting heavily with this lost look in his eyes. He managed to incapacitate the assailant moments before I finished. But not without effort. The trauma obviously took a toll on his body and with the piled stress from previously fighting against the all the other attackers, he looked like was about to collapse with the building.

Hesitantly, I took hold of the burnt ends of one of his sleeves and gave it a light tug. I was careful not to cause him any further discomfort. I knew all too well the pain that he's been through and I understood that we did not have the resources nor the time to give him first aid. As much as I wanted him to rest and to treat him, we had to keep moving.

I whispered. "Stay with me, Naegi." _Stay by my side._

His body was on auto-pilot mode. His steps were heavier than it should have been and it felt like I was almost dragging him. His mind was clearly not in the greatest of conditions but the adrenaline in him and his instincts made it easier for him to run while I led him around.

_Running did not require the use of his throbbing red and severely burnt hands._

His meek voice almost startled me. It sounded so weak, so _vulnerable. _"Did we do it? No, don't answer that. We're going out so that means that of course, we did it." He chuckled softly. It seemed that he was at least making some sense of his surroundings.

_Even when delusional, he was as optimistic as ever. _

"We made the right decision. I'm so happy that I came with you. Aren't you glad too?"

I never replied. I never looked back. And I would like to think that I never cried.

After that, I aggressively protected my friend.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_I didn't think there would be scars that I would hate more than mine._

Affected members of the assault on the main building were relocated to our different branches. Security was augmented the following days and everyone was instructed to stay alert. It was a tough blow on our organization but we were recovering. That's because we had _hope _on our side. As long as each of us carried that with us, we could overcome any hurdle such as this event.

After our narrow escape, Naegi immediately received medical attention. I never saw him again after. It has been weeks since then. It would be inaccurate to say that I did not try.

I did. A lot of times.

And I was rejected each and every time.

"There's no point in coming here. Go back."

It was only natural that I would not be the only who wished to see him. It was also only natural that even Togami would be here. However, I had somewhat half-expected that my presence was unwanted but Togami said it rather bluntly. Then again, blunt was not the right word. His tongue was _sharp,_ inconsiderate of feelings, and it minced whatever self-esteem one may have. Sadly enough, I have grown accustomed to this.

"I didn't know he can't accept visitors."

"Oh, visitors are allowed." Then he looked down on me like he would on anyone else. "It's just _you _he can't stand."

I calculated the odds that this was true. They were pretty unfavorable to me.

"I see. Very well, I shall take my leave." With that, I left for that day.

Only to come back the next day.

"He can't see you today, either."

And the next.

"Try your luck another day."

And the next.

"It's a bit too soon for you to come back again."

And the next.

"You're annoying. Go home."

And the next.

"Oh? Is your talent now the SHSL Persistent?"

Again and again.

"I thought I made it clear that I was asked to tell you to not bother coming here for a while."

Even I had to accept Togami's authority on this but I still checked every day.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_I wanted to hold his hands._

The urge came to me with such intensity that it was bordering obsession. I could not apologize enough for what I have caused him nor will he accept it. Knowing him, he would merely dismiss it as his _choice_. That was what differentiated him from me. What happened was a _situation_.

_It was a convenient truth._

Today also happened to be a convenient day.

"I can only stand to be in the same room with _at most _one commoner." He looked not the least bit interested in the affairs. Even if he was interested, he knew his boundaries.

"Thank you." I said. He has been dutifully waiting for me every day to tell me that Naegi was off limits. This act of may be the most considerate thing I'll ever see from him and he would never admit it.

"Do what you want." And with that, Togami quickly dismissed himself from his role and took off. The tapping of his pristine shoes soon faded away.

It was hard to admit it but Togami proved to be a friend as well.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_His hands were gone._

They were buried deeply underneath his blanket. That was to be expected. Even I took caution to not reveal mine. It's been weeks since I've last seen him and I was filled with relief. It would seem that all the other wounds of his were not that grave and some have already healed. But even I already knew this. Had it been otherwise then Togami would have let me in this room much sooner. So for what purpose was I here?

For comfort? Maybe. For whom then? For Naegi or for myself?

I did not want him to experience what I did. I wanted to at least make this more comfortable for him. It would be a difficult thing to adjust to at first but he would learn in time just as I have.

_Where he lost his hands, I'll lend him mine._

"Kirigiri! I haven't seen you in a while. I'm glad that you're doing okay." He smiled easily. His smile was a mix of joy and relief. Leave it to Naegi to be worried about someone else when he himself was doing worse.

"Are you mad?"

"Huh?"

I blinked. "Sorry, that was an improper greeting." Composing myself, I thought of what was appropriate to say. "I too am relieved that you're doing well."

"Yeah, I think I can actually get back to work now." He then shook his head. "Enough about me. What were you saying about me being mad?"

"No, it was only a theory. You've been rather… _distant _with me these past _weeks._" I calmly spoke. "I thought that since I had a similar experience before, I could offer the most practical advices."

There was so much more that I could have told him but I restrained myself. Getting emotional was not in me. As for Naegi, he looked like he was in deep thought. He was analyzing things as he would usually do when something did not seem right. Then he spoke.

"I think there was a misunderstanding." He nodded to himself. "And his name is Togami."

I could only listen to what he had to say.

"Knowing him, he probably did what I asked of him only in Togami-vocabulary which isn't all that nice to hear. I couldn't ask anyone else though since he was the only person available." Tentatively, he asked. "Did you think that I didn't want to see you?"

I blinked. "The possibility came into mind."

"You've got that wrong." His smile now had a slight hint of amusement. "There's also another reason why I chose Togami." He shifted underneath his blanket and slowly, inch by inch, his arms were being revealed.

_Naegi's hands are ugly… because I made them like that._

But when he showed me his hands, there were absolutely no traces of the scars.

They were gloved.

"Now your pair won't get lonely." He smiled smugly.

And all this nervousness and worry washed right off me. I had forgotten how exceeding simple his mind worked and at times, childish even. And to think that I was worked up over nothing, I must be more affected than I initially thought. To Naegi, scars were simply scars. Nothing more and nothing less. He was a person who does not move on but was ready to accept any burden for the sake of his friends. Things such as burnt hands did not bother him at all.

He was just too kind.

"For such a trifle reason, you kicked me out of visiting you. That's just mean." I could not stop the ghost of a smile that formed on my lips. "You should watch the company you keep. Togami might just be rubbing off on you."

He chuckled lightly. "I wanted to surprise you or something like that." He teased. "Besides, I honestly didn't think you'd worry over me like that."

"You think too lightly of me. Are you sure you're fine?"

"It's alright! They're just scarred not broken. I can still keep up with you."

"I'm not promising I'll give you any special treatment."

"Of course not. I want us to be on equal grounds."

And sometimes, he also says the kindest words.

"I look forward to continue working with you. Please take care of me."

He reached out his hand toward me. And I did what any other person would do.

_Holding hands was not all about the skin to skin contact._

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

Omake: TELLING OFF VISITORS

Togami: Naegi asked me to tell you something.

Kirigiri: What is it?

Togami: Isn't it obvious? _Tell her Naegi!_

Kirigiri: …

Togami: …

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

* * *

Just like in my other fic. This would be a friendship multi-chapter fic. You could interpret it as romantic if you'd like. In the event that I do write a shipping chapter, I'll indicate it as so.

I am open to suggestions. **HOWEVER NO SPOILERS PLEASE. ****NO SDR2 or DR0 SPOILERS. **

Tell me what you think. If I know that people actually do read this and they're interested then hey who am I to not update faster?

Thanks for reading. Drop by a review _because the traffic stats would tell me that you've been here. _Upupupu!


	2. Knowing Nothing

**Knowing Nothing**

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"Was it weird to miss a person you didn't know?" Set in a universe where they're students from different high schools. Written in Naegi's POV.

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_It was a person whom I didn't know. _

A student from another school died. While watching television last night, news of her came on screen. Apparently she was from an all-girls private high school. They never said anything about her name nor did they show her face. They flashed the bloody scene and I recognized her hair. To see something so familiar yet so unknown at the same time left an impact in me. My eyes were still fixated on the screen even though it had been minutes since the news segment had ended.

Then I started thinking about that girl, whoever she might have been, and pieced whatever I had in mind. Before she had died she had to _have been someone_. She was someone who had a family, friends, and enemies. She was someone who smiled, laughed, and cried. She was someone who at least had a name and a face.

_Now she's practically non-existent._

She's now just a number, a casualty, even worse, an _accident. _That's what they've written on her case. It was by mere luck that she died yesterday. It was the bad kind of luck that chanced upon her yesterday. It's not like it mattered to them. They think that she's just passing news and the world would too forget about her right after the commercial break.

_They've got that wrong._

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_I unluckily have met that person before._

There was a day when I did something stupid. I had been on the train before. In fact, I always use the train twice every day. I was not even tired that day nor was there anything in particular that was bothering me. It was just after school and with nothing else to do, I decided to head straight home. By the time I got on the train, it started pouring. The bullet train was hit by nature's version of bullets and if I were poetic enough, I would have written a haiku about it. But that's what I've been trying to say from the start.

_It was an ordinary day, I was an ordinary guy but my luck just wasn't._

I got off on the wrong station. Alarms went ringing inside my head when I felt there something distinctively wrong with my surroundings. It looked like the same place but the people looked different. After getting off the same station at the same time every day, you kind of _just know _the other people like you. And I saw none of my familiar strangers. I frantically looked around for a sign of what could be wrong.

That's when I saw her.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Her name was Kirigiri._

That was the nickname I gave her. I think she would get angry if she knew I had named her after the station I got mistaken with. But at least Kirigiri could pass as a girl's name, right?

I don't know her name. In fact, I don't even remember her face. But her hair was beautiful. It's not like I particularly admired her as if I had a crush on her or anything and it's embarrassing to say this but that's all I could remember of her. She had hair of the lightest of purple with long strands down to her waist. I think she had a braid to one side tied with a ribbon. What color was the ribbon again? I don't even know anymore.

_It's hard to remember someone you don't know._

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_She was murdered._

That was the obvious explanation. People don't just die in classrooms alone. People don't commit suicides with their bodies squashed and the object used for it gone missing. It was a simple fact that no one seemed to acknowledge. No, they _refuse _to accept it. Whoever had done in on her had connections. He was obviously powerful if he wasn't a she. But that's just not fair. No, that' not _just. _A life was taken _brutally _just like that and no one would or could even bat an eyelid.

What would the victim feel? Anger? Regret? Sorrow? Do souls even feel after death? Do we even have souls? I shook my head. I was thinking way too much about this even though I was supposedly unaffected.

But it did bother me.

That night, I didn't dream. It was because I simply didn't sleep. At some point, I even got on the internet. Admittedly, I researched about the girl who recently _died. _I didn't expect to find much but I was proven wrong. Apparently, she was from a well-known family or at least with the elites. There wasn't anything much out there aside from the occasional rumors. I managed to dig deeper by tediously checking every link that at least didn't look like a spam. You'd be surprised about what people thought of you on the internet. That night was spent with me just taking in all this new information.

_It's kind of sad that I learned about her this way._

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_We never even had a conversation._

I mean, how could we? We were total strangers. There was nothing to talk about either. I may not know her but I doubt she'd be interested spending her time trying to find a topic with me. I'm from a public high school with no clubs or hobbies whatsoever. She was from a prestigious private high school. Surely, we would be on different levels. It was impossible to even think about having a conversation with someone like her.

But it wasn't like we never had the chance.

We had plenty. After the incident, I was careful to never get off on a wrong station again. Strangely enough, I saw her from time to time. Even stranger was the fact that it was usually near my school. I'm not accusing her of being a _stalker _or anything. That would just mean that I'm fooling myself to think that I'm even stalk-worthy material. Nevertheless, she was just there and I was just a glance away for our eyes to meet. I don't think she even knew I was there watching her. Maybe if she knew, she would try to catch my attention. Maybe if I walked into her field of vision, she would recognize me. Then maybe we would talk right after the first few awkward moments.

I never did find the courage to walk in her direction.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Anything about her, I knew nothing._

There were a lot of things which I didn't know about her. I didn't know she read mystery novels and even finished them at a quick pace. I didn't know she was the type who kept a journal with her which she wrote in from time to time. I didn't know she was the analytical type until I kept seeing her with a different kind of puzzle each time. I didn't know she was compassionate until that one time when a kid tripped and cried then she walked to him to comfort him with ice cream she had bought specifically for that purpose. I didn't know she particularly liked cherry blossoms since whenever they were in bloom, she would be at her seasonal spot just gazing at them.

I didn't know a lot of things about her.

That's because even if I had to pass by her, I would reroute and take the long way out. But that was okay since we were strangers to begin with. In time, I unconsciously found myself looking for her. I started searching even just her uniform or anything with the right shade of purple like her hair. And when I did find something like that and confirm that it was her, I would have mixed feelings. It was happiness, anxiety, and everything else. It was my cue to avoid her right after finding her.

But there were times when I didn't know she was there. That's how I learned a few things about her without ever actually having to get to know her. And she would never know it but she managed to surprise me for a number of times without even trying. But what surprised me the most were the things that I found out about her when I actually thought about the things concerning her that had happened.

Sometimes I wonder if she saw me too.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Everyone knew it was murder._

But it was good to know that even the investigators now classified it as that. I was watching an interview with the chief inspector right now. They never really considered the possibility and were ready to close the case right off the bat but someone told them to check on it. And they did. Every last detail the person pointed out made a valid point and evidences supported them. What surprised me was what the interviewer asked last.

Was it true that they only reconsidered after receiving a mysterious letter?

He adamantly said no. They were professionals. Under no circumstances would they turn to anonymously signed letters for help in work. It was just a rumor spreading around the division. He intimidatingly ended the interview right after in a hurry. Some people are too obvious. After the interview, there wasn't anything interesting left to watch.

Coincidentally, I happened to send a letter the week before.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Was it weird to miss someone you don't know?_

I got off on the wrong station. Only this time, it was a deliberate mistake.

This was something I had to do. Because even though I didn't know her, I felt like she still deserved to have her rights paid. And I wanted to do this. I can't go to her funeral after all. It was never disclosed in public so of course I wouldn't find the date on the internet. I would have wanted to be there at the actual funeral but it was not possible. So I'm doing this now. I wanted to do something for her in my own way. And this was the only thing that I could think of.

It was kind of disappointing though. I thought that I would feel something special once I got here but right now it just felt… nothing. Nothing really did happen the first time we met but even so, I had hoped that there would be _something _at least. I just felt nothing. I didn't even try to remember what happened here long ago. This supposedly funeral-proxy didn't feel special at all. Heck, I didn't even feel anything to begin with.

But since I was already there, I roamed around. At that point, I didn't even expect anything. I looked at _everything. _Deep inside, I was racking my brain to be at least sensitive since I came here for a reason. After a while, I checked out the bulletin boards too. It was filled with flyers and notes and all but one in a corner spoke out to me.

It had lots of holes. That only meant that people kept relocating it and I could only assume that the author persistently relocated it back again. But right now it's just at one dark corner. It never got back to its original location.

Its author never got back to it.

Did I feel nothing for _this_? If I had felt something when I got here then maybe I wouldn't have gotten to scrutinizing everything about this station. I never would have walked this far or looked at things with this much focus. I never would have found this note.

I must have the worst luck after all.

Quickly, I took the note with me and went straight for the lost and found booth. I followed the instructions stated in it. I told the guy manning the booth my name and my _lost _item.

What I found was so much more.

_Thanks for the umbrella the other day. It proved useful._

_You left in a hurry. I hope you arrived to your destination safely. You seemed lost._

_I recognized your uniform so from time to time I shall be within your area to personally extend my gratitude. Please don't be afraid to approach me._

_-Kyoko Kirigiri_

Kirigiri? What were the odds of that! It seemed that my luck wasn't that bad after all. Guessing someone's name wasn't an easy feat. Knowing her name eased my anxiety a little bit. Knowing that I was right about her name meant something entirely different. It meant that all this while I had in fact, known something about her. I didn't know her name or her face but still…

_I knew her all along._

I didn't know her but I thought she was a person with purpose. It turned out that I was right. Her appearances were never coincidences. It wasn't by chance that was nearby but it wasn't by chance either that we never actually met eye to eye. She was always so close to me because it was in her intentions. She was only close to me but never _with _me. And I knew _personally_ as to why. Looking back, she only had good intentions. I never saw that though because I never knew her.

I kept telling myself that I didn't know her.

This note would never disappear no matter how much I will it to. So I just stared at the note until it blurred. It was not raining at all but why was my face so wet all of the sudden?

That empty feeling I said earlier? I take that back. What I felt was a feeling of _loss. _On that day, I went home with two notes and an umbrella.

_I felt like I lost more than what I actually found._

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_If only I had properly met her the first time._

It started pouring. I got off on the wrong train station. That's when I saw her.

She had hair of the lightest of purple with long strands down to her waist and a braid to one side tied with a black ribbon. She was digging through her bag. It seemed as if she either lost something or forgot to bring that something with her.

"Here. Use mine."

Without even thinking, I gave her my umbrella.

"Are you sure?"

Her voice spoke in a polite yet firm tone.

"It's alright. I'm wearing my jacket and my route home has lots of roofs to take shelter in."

The last part was obviously a lie and I think she knew that too.

"Very well. Thank you."

And I remembered her gentle face as she thanked me. Then I ran off.

_We would have been good friends._

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**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

Omake: IT WAS AN ACCIDENT

Police: It's safe to say that this was an accident. There was absolutely no murder here.

Naegi: You've got that wrong!

Police: …

Naegi: …

Police (to communicator): We have found a suspicious person at the scene of the crime.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

* * *

**NOTE:** Kirigiri is not a real train station. HOWEVER, there is a station named _Kirikiri_ (and with different characters). CLOSE ENOUGH.

**REPLIES TO REVIEWERS:**  
_kryandrs_ - thank you! well i do plan to at least make it last up to 5 chapters, it depends on the time and the support I get  
_Guest_ - I already have plans for pre-despair timeline. I'll take note about the sick event when the inspiration hits me.

Thank you to the favs and follows from _Anonymous568, GabyS.99, Nanoko-chan, Sakka P, anonymous184, blue-espeon, NightEveMoon, StrawberryMatt, redpanda0207._

__Oh, and don't forget to review on this one too! Really, I just want to talk to you guys/gals. Upupupupu!


	3. Proving Something

**Proving Something**

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"_How do you measure something like luck?_" Set pre-game in a universe where their days were peaceful. Written in Naegi's POV. Contains spoilers.

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_Some things in life were just more of whim than whimsical._

I've already gone past the point of curiosity and into the territory of apathy. It didn't take long for me to realize that there were just some things that weren't meant to be explained. Not everything that happens has happened for a reason. In fact, there may be no greater meaning in life. But that's just me getting ahead of myself.

I've already accepted it.

And even so, I still somehow ended up in this situation. I'm worse off than I've ever been before in a span of one day. This kind of thing was normal to me but today was just tragic. Deliberately trying to observe a phenomenon was our biggest mistake.

My classmates just didn't understand.

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_I should have known better than to stay after class._

"Everyone, I am pleased to announce that we will now begin today's class meeting!"

The class representative, Ishimaru, declared delightedly. The attendance was perfect, everyone was still in their proper seats, and no one was late but this was only natural since it was just seconds after their last period. The order in their classroom was so pristine that it made Ishimaru deliriously happy. At least this time he was happy. I'd rather see him like this than when he was passionate last time.

He gave his opening remarks perfectly as if he memorized it by heart but since it was him, most of us were more used to it than amazed. "…And with that, I'd like to call on Naegi to come to the front."

That wasn't part of the usual script. "Huh? Me?" I pointed to myself just to clarify/

He nodded. "Yes, now kindly present yourself here."

I wasn't even listening! What kind of meeting was this anyways? I didn't have a choice in this so I did as I was told. He cheerily clapped my shoulder afterward. Believe me, I had no idea what was going on so it was the least bit reassuring.

"As you are all aware, we have successfully triumphed over our first year. I believe that our bonds have strengthened since we first met and I'm sure that you all agree as well."

I blinked. Wait a minute. My eyes scanned the class. Everyone was earnestly listening. I was at the back so I didn't notice it before. Was I the only one not listening? I suddenly felt ashamed. But something was off though. It felt as though I was out of the loop. It was as if everyone expected this meeting sooner or later. No, everyone _but me _expected this meeting to happen _today._

"We will now proceed to the discussion of Naegi's talent."

Never had I been so scared in my life.

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_Under what circumstances do you consider yourself lucky?_

"I guess for me that's like walking into a store and then finding something you really want." Maizono was the first to answer. "And you're super lucky if it's something really rare too!"

Surprisingly, that was an ordinary example to start off with. At first, I expected them to ask something crazy from me right off the bat. I will be forever grateful to Maizono giving me a slow start. But then again, maybe if I had done something extreme from the start then they'd let me go. Either way, I'm stuck with this.

"Alright, I'll give that a shot."

So we set off and I arbitrarily chose this music shop I go to from time to time. I took my time in browsing every shelf. I walked out after ten minutes with a smug smile.

"I found a limited edition of Maizono's first album and it's in mint condition!" I flashed my newly purchased item at them. "It was up for only its original price, this is awesome!"

"Who knew you had it in ya?" Oowada patted my back.

The CD case slipped.

But I managed to catch it right before it hit the ground. "Close call." I sighed but then I noticed a scratch at the edge of the case. Suddenly, I became anxious. This would probably not end well for me. I opened the case and checked the CD.

It was cracked.

"I'll just have it returned, no worries." I laughed nervously. Then I turned around to get back into the shop.

It was at that moment that the store closed.

I felt as if the world was ganging up on me. My friends could only sympathize.

"Maybe it still works. We could try it out in Chihiro's laptop." Maizono tried to comfort me but even herself wasn't convinced.

We all knew that it was a hopeless case but you'll never know, right? Maybe my luck was just running late and this time it'll surely hit. I mean, that was a lot of allowance! The disc was inserted and the laptop made these weird sounds. After probably the longest seconds of my life, it loaded.

"Unreadable file."

I wish my face was unreadable too.

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_What about other instances of being lucky?_

"I know!" Asahina shouted eagerly. "There's this donut shop that always runs out of my favorite flavor. It's like my holy grail of donuts." Her mouth almost watered just thinking about it.

"I don't think I have it in me to go into another shop today." My shoulders slumped.

Never will I go into stores when prompted ever again.

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_Were there evidences of my luck?_

"The fact that you were born." Fukawa hesitantly answered. "It's a miracle that you exist and even share the same classroom with d-dear Togami!"

"Uh, thanks. I guess?" Of course, Fukawa would answer with something like that.

Somehow, I felt like she was accusing me.

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_If there was a test of courage, was there a test of luck?_

"The ultimate test of luck is a perilous path. Cross only if you dare, Master Makoto Naegi." Yamada spoke in an ominous voice.

"I'm sure it's not that life threatening." I joked because he had to be joking too, right?

He adjusted his glasses just to create a gleam effect. "You underestimate the trial. Are you really that eager to meet your demise?"

"Not really but I'll be taking the test anyways."

"I shall forever remember your name should you not survive today!" He saluted me then whispered my task.

My face flushed.

"I can't do that!" I covered my ear. What I heard was something of taboo. Even if I were lucky, I won't be able to live a normal life if I had gone through with it. "Besides, how is that related to luck?"

"The last part!" He huffed.

"I refuse!" I raised my voice.

There's no way I'd peep on the girls changing and not get caught while at it.

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_What were the times that you considered yourself lucky?_

"I am but a simple person." Oogami humbly said. "Just dodging or merely surviving supposedly finishing blows from my opponents is a sign of luck on my part."

"Let's not try that on me." I unconsciously backed away.

Even I knew that my luck was no match to her strength.

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_Were there aspects of luck?_

"I guess luck works differently in the model business." Enoshima commented offhandedly. "You're quite the lucky one if you get into a good contract right from the start."

"But how does that apply to me?" I naively asked.

"It doesn't."

I already knew this before but I never was going into the starlight.

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_How do you measure something like luck?_

"I think it's about randomness and probabilities." A timid voice suggested. "It's the closest thing we can measure, right?"

Well, if you put it that way then that was one interpretation. You're lucky if you get the result with the lowest probability. It was a simple enough concept and everyone at that time agreed to it as well.

"I have a program that plays with probabilities. It's just a one-command process. It produces a random code then depending on the code produced, something happens." As expected of our programmer, Chihiro, to volunteer this method.

"By random code… how random are the results?" Yamada asked with concern.

"Oh, don't worry. I've programmed it to only produce mediocre to positive events. The most unlikely being getting today's numbers in the lottery." The laptop was already out with the program opened.

"Such sorcery! Let us put this to good use then!" He yelled with enthusiasm.

"Like I said, it's random though. So it depends on Naegi's performance. I sure hope that we'd hit the jackpot!" Chihiro giggled.

Performance? Gee, thanks for the no pressure. I sighed. I wished they didn't place too much hope in my… _talent_, if you could call it that. I just wanted to get this over with.

"So I just press enter, right?" And I did.

Nothing happened.

Well that was anti-climactic. And then all of a sudden, a string of intelligible letters and digits filled the screen. If this was just one code then it was a _long _one.

"Umm, Chihiro?"

But before he could tell everyone what had just happened, he immediately snatched the laptop and opened a few other programs. I wasn't exactly sure what he was doing but I was too afraid to disturb him when he wore such a concentrated look. When he finally finished, he rebooted the laptop and sighed.

"Naegi's luck is… remarkable." He finally said. "The code it generated was a hack into a foreign agency. Had I acted any slower, we would have been traced and I'm still unsure as to what kind of agency it was hacking into."

While some hid theirs, it was obvious that everyone fell into a state of shock.

"Wait, but I thought you said this thing only produced good codes."

"That's what it was programmed to do. And yet, it created something near the impossible. A _bad _code."

"Congratulations." Yamada patted me on the back.

I didn't know how to take that.

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_Was there even such a thing called luck?_

"My big bro once told me that only the weak rely on luck." Oowada told me. "Men get things done through hard work not dumb luck."

"That's true." I couldn't agree more.

But I felt like I was inadvertently insulted.

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_Was luck influenced by the environment?_

"To some extent, yes." Ikusaba thought out loud. "I know for a fact that depending on the surroundings, it could affect the number and kind of injuries probable. Not to mention the body count as well."

"Thanks for the answer." I quickly cut off the conversation.

It was too dangerous if it went on and I had to actually test it.

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_Can we compare luck?_

"It can't be helped. Perhaps I shall provide you with the aid you require." Celes graced me with her support. "While I may not be the SHSL Luckster, I am the SHSL Gambler. It would only be fitting if we put our luck to the test."

Now that she mentioned it, she had a point. Gambling had strategy in it but it was more of luck that ruled the game. Celes was the best at this. She has never lost a gamble before. To be honest, just her presence was intimidating enough.

"I'll warn you though. I never play for free." She smirked. "I expect compensation of some sort for the winner."

"How about I help you for a whole week? That is if I lose."

"I could use a servant at school." She smiled. "Be sure to dress accordingly. I expect nothing less than European."

"I hope I won't disappoint." Wow, we haven't even started yet and I felt as if I already lost.

"Very well. Shall we begin?"

She took out a deck of cards she conveniently carried with her for instances such as these. The game was poker since that was the only card game which I knew the rules somewhat. I won't even make this sound longer than it should but basically, I lost.

I lost for ten consecutive rounds.

It wasn't just any lost either. I had the worst possible hand each time.

"I must admit that you are quite… interesting for the lack of a better word." Celes didn't even bother to hide her amusement.

"I give." I know when I'm defeated. "So when does my week start?"

She giggled. "But Naegi, we agreed that if I won, you'd serve me for a week. And I believe that for the record, I have won ten times."

"You've got to be kidding me!" My jaw dropped.

"Also, I'd appreciate it if you wore different attires each week." She smiled sweetly.

Gambling underage was never the brightest idea.

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_Were there any rules in regards to luck?_

"Surely there are no regulations because if there are then I should have been informed." As expected from Ishimaru. He always did uphold the order. "Just a minute. If there are no rules then maybe such a thing like luck is not allowed!"

"You're just overthinking things." I broke into a sweat. The last thing I needed was him on my back all the time.

Wrong question and wrong person to answer.

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_Was there a simple definition to luck?_

"There's always a simple explanation to everything." Kuwata wagged his eyebrows. "You're lucky when you _get lucky- _if you know what I mean."

Ugh, not another round of this!

"C'mon, man! It's all about scoring the ladies!" He swung an arm around my shoulders. "Ya ain't lucky if ya can't get girls."

"Might I remind you that we're with our female friends as well." And I'm this close to getting caught in the crossfire.

I may not be that innocent but I'm not yet willing to cross the line of perversion.

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_Can luck be understood scientifically?_

"I'm telling ya, luck ain't something that technology can handle." Hagakure pointed out. "Luck's all about the natural science. And what better way to check on it than with my crystal ball."

To Hagakure, _everything _could be explained by his readings… 30% of the time. These were his words not mine. He admitted that while it seemed low, it was in fact a large number and we should all be grateful. I guess there's nothing left for me to do than to be happy for him.

"Sometimes I wonder if they made a mistake with _your _application." Asahina commented while everyone else silently agreed in their hearts.

"Ya think so too?" He scratched his head embarrassedly. "I thought SHSL Fortune Teller was too boxing. I mean I got a lot out for me than just one talent." He laughed merrily.

"No, I wasn't complimenting you."

"You got something else other than fortune telling?" Kuwata asked.

"Of course! Let's see, aside from fortune telling using my crystal ball, there's fortune telling using incense, fortune telling using the stars, fortune telling using totems, and others as well."

"Isn't that all just the same thing?!"

"Ya stupid?" Hagakure burst out in anger.

"Right back at ya." Asahina murmured.

"Can't ya all see that they're different techniques? I mean wasn't it obvious that they all use different stuff?"

At this point, I don't think there was any use in arguing with him.

"Anyways, Hagakure, would you mind reading my fortune then?" If this keeps up, I'm scared that I may actually get convinced with what he was saying.

"No problem, Naegi!" He pulled out his crystal ball and lit a few incense sticks.

Regardless, every time Hagakure did a reading it was always accurate at least when he did it with us. So I have to admit that this made me anxious. After having his eyes closed for a minute, he finally opened them.

"Weird. S'kinda vague this time." He scratched his chin. "Just says that something will fall on you. Must be good luck!"

"By something falling on me, is this in the metaphorical-" Before I could even finish my question, it already happened.

Something fell on my head.

I've come this far so there's no turning back. I grabbed whatever fell on my head and looked at it only to find out that it was a… "Salmon roll."

"It's not even salmon roe just cheap salmon roll." Celes remarked.

"Whoever heard of sushi falling from the sky?!" I yelled.

"Settle down, plebeian. At least it wasn't the usual bird excretion." Togami chided.

Then something fell on my head again.

My face immediately paled. With my other hand, I took hold of the second object to fall on my head and it was not bird poop rather it was… "A dead bird."

"Ha! Told ya my readings were accurate!"

To my credit, I didn't punch anyone in frustration afterward.

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_What if luck-_

"Shut up." Togami spoke. "I've had it with these meaningless discussions. Lucky or not, it doesn't change the fact that you already got into this class, now does it?"

"I guess not." I mentally flinched.

"Unfortunately so." He turned around. "Let's not prolong this anymore and accept the fact that Naegi possesses some form of luck because obviously he has no talent whatsoever."

His words were precise and sharp. But it was only so because every last one held truth.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Being lucky never automatically translated to good luck._

"Today was a busy day." Kirigiri gave me a can of soda from the nearby vending machine.

After Togami's outburst, we finally disbanded. Since everyone already had their theories tested and all, there was really nothing left to go on. Thankfully, they let me off the hook. I thought I should have headed straight home to get some deserved rest but I ended up on this bench in the park. Watching the sun go down had this calming effect on me. I felt like I just lived, no, _survived _a hard day.

Kirigiri opted to join me though. I don't know why she did but it was comforting.

"Thanks." I said then I drank down the whole can. That felt good.

"Was it fun to have everyone's attention?" She was teasing me but it hardly showed on her face.

"Yeah. It was fun but _really _exhausting!" I shouted. "But in spite of everything that happened today, I think I understand a bit better."

"About what?"

I was incredibly _unlucky. _Today's events were evidences supporting just that. But today wouldn't happen unless I got accepted into Hope's Peak Academy in the first place. And the reason for my acceptance was not because I had any special talent or anything. It was by some force that I got accepted and it was called luck.

And I guess I was extremely _lucky. _I think that all of my good luck was used into that one shot to get me into this school. Do I hate it? Not at all.

Being able to meet everyone and getting to know them beyond the talents that the world knows them for was something that I cherished a lot. They were my friends. And I could live with having extra bad luck for the rest of my life for this. If I didn't use up all my good luck into getting here…

I wouldn't have had Kirigiri here beside me.

"I take that back. I really don't understand anything at all."

Whether by luck or not, I'd treasure my friendships the same.

_Some things in life were just more of whimsical than whim._

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Shinra-ex-SOLDIER**

Omake: MIXING UP NAMES

Yamada: Master Kyoko Naegi!

Kirigiri: …!

Naegi: …!

Kirigiri: Hifumi Yamada, I thought we already discussed this. Whenever calling for both me and Naegi, please address us both individually and correctly.

Yamada: But you're always together. This way is more convenient.

Naegi: Then could you at least call us both either by our first names or by our surnames instead of… that.

Yamada: I refuse! Besides, it's only a matter of time before this headcanon of mine becomes canon!

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

* * *

**NOTES:**

This updated later than I wanted it to mainly because I had trouble writing it down. I only write happy fics when I'm depressed so while I was postponing this, I jotted down a few not-so-happy fics. Forgive me, I'll do better next time. Honestly, I'll make a comeback.

**REPLIES TO REVIEWERS:**

_Nanoko-chan_ - Is it wrong for me to be happy that it makes you cry?  
_blue-espeon_ - Thank you! FEELS is something I'm particularly proud of.  
_Anonymous568_ - Here ya go, one light-hearted chapter.  
_Shizuka Ayasato_ - It's been a while! I'm glad to contribute to you productive procrastination!  
_anonymous184_ - Here's your happy chapter. :D  
_GabyS.99_ - I'll be sure to writem more too.  
_koryandrs_ - Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.  
_Tarkana262_ - Exactly! I too am disappointed by the lack of naegiri on this site so I just had to do this.  
_electricangel12_ - I honestly don't know how to react to that.

Thank you to the new favs and follows from _Alucards-Woman_.

Once again, tell me what you think since it's easier to get ideas after. Hope you enjoyed this. Upupupu!


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